A portion package for foodstuff such as butter

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an individual portion package containing butter, soft cheese or other foodstuff intended for spreading on a piece of bread or the like. The package includes a closed container ( 1 ) and spreading device ( 2 ). The spreading device ( 2 ) is integrated with the container ( 1 ) and projecting out from the container ( 1 ). The container is formed by a first wall ( 6 ) and a second wall ( 3 ) connected to each other. The first wall ( 6 ) has a first extension forming the spreading device ( 2 ). The second wall ( 3 ) has a gripping device ( 4 ) at the end of the container ( 1 ) adjacent the spreading device ( 2 ). The gripping device ( 4 ) is arranged for opening the container ( 1 ) at this end for providing a dispensing opening ( 5 ) allowing the content of the container to be squeezed out onto a supply side ( 2   a ) of the spreading device ( 2 ). The supply side ( 2   a ) is on the same side of the first wall ( 6 ) as the container ( 1 ). The gripping device ( 4 ) forms a second extension of the container( 1 ) in the direction of the spreading device ( 2 ). The second extension completely covers the supply side ( 2   a ) of the spreading device ( 2 ).

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an individual portion packagecontaining butter, soft cheese or similar foodstuff that is intended tobe spread out on another foodstuff such as a slice of bread or the like.The content of the package thus is a foodstuff that is liquid,semi-liquid, soft or semi-soft. The most frequent use of such packagesis butter for a slice of bread. The invention will in the following bedescribed in relation to this specific usage, but it is to be understoodthat the invention encloses also other similar foodstuff as indicatedabove.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Butter is often provided in individual portion packages for spreading ona slice of bread or a few slices. This kind of packages is mostly usedin restaurants and the like. On applying the butter on the bread a knifeor similar device, it is required to spread the butter. The knife isoften the same tool as thereafter being used to eat a meal. Remainingbutter on the knife might be unpleasant. Another drawback is that bothhands are needed to spread the butter, one holding the container and oneholding the knife.

In order to eliminate these inconveniences it is known to package thebutter in a container having an integrated spreading device such as aknife. Examples of such containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,648,506, U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,932, U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,661, U.S. Pat.No. 4,888,8188, GB 2317553 and SE 527 849. Similar devices but for otherpurposes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,264, U.S. Pat. No.4,797,309, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,792, U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,152 and JP54067143.

Although the known devices in one way or another solves the problem ofeliminating a separate tool for spreading the foodstuff in the containerthey have various drawbacks regarding manufacturing and/or handlingaspects.

The object of the present invention is to attain a portion package ofthe kind in question with integrated container and spreading device andwhich does not suffer from the drawbacks entailing known attempts withsuch devices.

A similar object is at hand for the invention in the not yet publishedPCT/SE2012/050898. The invention of that application overcomes most ofthe drawbacks related to prior art. However it has been found that alsothe device of that invention can be improved.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is achieved in that an individualportion package for butter or the like intended to be spread on a pieceof bread or the like includes the features specified in claim 1. Thepackage thus includes a closed container and spreading device, whichspreading device is integrated with the container and projecting outfrom the container, which container is formed by a first wall and asecond wall connected to each other, which first wall has an extensionforming the spreading device, and which second wall has a grippingdevice at the end of the container adjacent the spreading device, whichgripping device is arranged for opening the container at this end forproviding a dispensing opening allowing the content of the container tobe squeezed out onto a supply side of the spreading device which supplyside is on the same side of the first wall as the container , wherebythe gripping device forms a second extension from the container indirection of the spreading device which second extension completelycovers the supply side of the spreading device.

Thanks to the arrangement that the supply side is arranged on the sameside of the first wall as the container, the content of the container isvery easily squeezed out on the spreading device. A very importantfeature is that the second extension completely covers the supply sideof the spreading device. Thereby the surface of the supply side iseffectively protected from contamination before the package is used. Theinvented package therefore is very hygienic. When the second extensionformed by the gripping device is removed from the supply side of thespreading device and opens the opening of the container, the butter willbe pressed out onto a completely clean surface.

The two extensions are preferably joined by an adhesive that isrelatively weak so that the separation of the second extension from thefirst extension is simple.

According to a preferred embodiment, the second extension is larger thanthe first extension such that the second extension projects beyond atleast one edge of the spreading device.

Since the second extension is the gripping device the projection willserve as a gripping portion thereof and facilitate the removal of thesecond extension from the first extension and then open the package.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one edge is anend edge of the spreading device.

Thereby the gripping of the gripping device will occur at the end of thespreading device such that the separation and opening is done in thesame direction as the longitudinal direction of the package, which willbe particularly easy and convenient.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading device has akerf line and being sufficient weak to be broken along the kerf line byhand force.

This is an alternative solution to the embodiments presented next aboveand will also provide a simple separation of the extensions from eachother and the opening of the containers. When this is to be done thespreading device is bent along the kerf line, whereby the spreadingdevice is broken. The small part of the spreading device that is brokenaway will still be attached to the outer end of the second extension andthereby forms the gripping portion of the gripping device.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and thesecond wall are connected to each other along a connection line, whichconnection line completely is located in one planar plane.

Connecting the two walls along a connection line that is located in aplanar plane makes the manufacturing of the package less complicatedthan when the connection partly takes place in the plane of a first walland partly in the plane of a second wall.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall completelyis in one planar plane.

This further contributes to facilitate the manufacturing of the package.This feature also provides a base for achieving good stiffness whenusing the spreading device for spreading the butter, since the spreadingdevice is an extension of the first wall.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading deviceextends from the first wall in the direction of the plane of the firstwall.

When the spreading device extends in the same direction as the firstwall, the handling of the device when spreading the butter becomes veryconvenient.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading device isplanar.

This is in most case the optimal shape for effectively spreading thebutter on the slice of bread.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and thespreading device are co-planar.

Having these two parts in a common plane further contributes to aconvenient handling of the device. This configuration is alsoadvantageous when manufacturing.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and thespreading device are made in one single piece and of the same material.

This further contributes to a rational manufacturing.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall includes alayer of paper board.

Since paper board is a cheap material and simple to cut, thiscontributes to economic efficiency at manufacturing. It is understoodthat the paper board should be relatively stiff. In particular thisrelates when the spreading device is made in one piece with the firstwall in order to achieve a sufficient stiffness for the spreading. Thefirst wall may be solely made of paper board or may be coated orlaminated with some other material for avoiding that the butterimpregnates the wall.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall isdeformable by a squeezing force applied by a user's finger thereon.

It is optimal to relate the necessary squeezing possibility to thiswall, since the first wall is designed for another purpose, namely theintegration with the spreading device. The specified criterion for theamount of force required makes the dispensing of the butter easy, i.e.avoiding the need for a tool or an inconvenient high muscle force forthe squeezing.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall is ofanother material than the first wall

Thereby the material for each of the walls can be optimized with regardsto the purpose of the respective wall.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall is alaminate.

Thereby the material properties of this wall can be optimally adaptedfor the various aspects related to its function, such as to contact thebutter on one side, contact the surrounding air on the other side andprovide sufficient deformability and sufficient strength.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device is anextension of the second wall.

The handling of the package as well as the manufacturing thereof therebyis facilitated, in particular in comparison with making the grippingdevice as a separate unit.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device isarranged to allow disconnection of the connection between the first walland the second wall in the region most close to the spreading device.

Thereby the dispensing of the butter onto the spreading device isachieved in the most convenient way.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device isarranged to be maintained attached to the second wall after thecontainer has been opened.

The package thereby is maintained as one single piece after use whichminimizes the number of trash pieces to take care of and thus reducesdisturbing appearance of trash pieces on the eating table.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has widththat is 2 to 10 times the height of the container, preferably 3 to 5times, whereby the height is the maximum distance between the first walland the second wall .

According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has a lengththat is 2 to 10 times the width of the container, preferably 3 to 5times.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has a lengththat is 1 to 4 times the length of the spreading device, preferably 1.5to 2.5 times.

The specified relative dimensions in these embodiments represent anoptimal adaption for a convenient handling of the package.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the end of the spreadingdevice that is most remote from the container has an end edge that atleast partly extends inclined in relation to the length direction of thepackage.

The inclined end edge facilitates the spreading of the butter on theslice of bread. The end edge may be inclined along its entire extensionor only along a part thereof. It might follow a straight and/or curvedline.

The above described preferred embodiments of the invention are specifiedin the dependent claims. It is to be understood that further preferredembodiments of course can be constituted by any possible combination ofthe preferred embodiments above and by any possible combination of theseand features mentioned in the description of examples below.

The invention will be further explained through the following detaileddescription of examples thereof and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view from above of a package according to a first example ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the package in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transversal section of the package in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section corresponding to that of FIG. 2 showing the packagein a first stage at use.

FIG. 5 is a section corresponding to that of FIG. 2 showing the packagein a second stage at use.

FIG. 6 is a view from above of a package according to a second exampleof the invention.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of the package in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a section corresponding to that of FIG. 7 showing the packagein a first stage of use.

FIG. 9 is a view from above of a package according to a third example ofthe invention.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section of the package in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a transversal section of the package in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE

The package is illustrated in FIG. 1-3. It has a container 1 and aspreading device 2. The container is filled with butter 10 and has afirst wall 6 at the bottom and a second wall 3 at the top as seen in thefigures. The first wall 6 is completely planar and the second wall 3 hasa trough shape in cross section. The two walls are connected to eachother along a connection line 7 and a provisional connection line 9 suchthat the container 1 is enclosing the butter 10. The connection alongthe connection line 7 may be made by gluing or any other suitablefastening means. The connection along the provisional connection line 9may also be by gluing or the like, preferably with lower adherence forcethan the rest of the connection. The connection along the provisionalconnection line 9 is intended to be released at use.

The first wall 6 at the bottom is integrated with the spreading device 2and is made of one single piece with the spreading device. The firstwall 6 together with the spreading device 2 is made of paper board. Theboard should be relatively stiff such that the spreading device can beused in the same manner as a knife, spatula or the like.

The second wall 3 is made of a material that is flexible, such asplastic, so that it can be easily deformed by a slight pressure. It ispreferably a laminate. The second wall has a flap-like extension at theend of the container 1 adjacent the spreading device. The flap-likeextension, which forms a gripping device 4, extends from the provisionalconnection line 9, along the spreading device 2 and a bit further thanthat. The gripping device 4 thus covers the complete upper surface 2 aof the spreading device 2, and thereby protects it from coming intocontact with the surrounding. That surface is the supply side 2 a of thespreading device 2. The gripping device 4 is attached to the uppersurface 2 a of the spreading device by an adhesive that is easilyreleasable. Since the gripping device 4 extends longer than thespreading device 2 there is left an outer part 4 a of the grippingdevice 4 that is not in contact with the spreading device 2. This outerpart forms a gripping part 4 a of the gripping device 4.

When the package is to be used the user grips the gripping part 4 a ofthe gripping device 4 and pulls it upwards as indicated by the arrow.Thereby the gripping device 4 is removed from the upper surface 2 a ofthe spreading device 2 and the connection between the walls at theprovisional connection line 9 is disengaged and a dispensing opening 5is opened at this end of the container 1 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Thereafter the user presses a finger against the second wall 3 so thatit will be deformed. The butter 10 thereby will be squeezed out throughthe dispensing opening 5 and be positioned on the upper surface 2 a ofthe spreading device 2 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thereafter the packageis used in a similar way as a butter knife using the package end as theknife handle.

The outer end edge 8 of the spreading device is inclined relative to thedirection perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the package.

The package according to the example illustrated in FIG. 6-9 differsfrom the above described with respect to the relation between thegripping device 4 and the spreading device 2. In all other respects theyare substantially similar.

The gripping device 4 also in this example completely covers the upperside 2 a of the spreading device 2, but does not reach any further thanthat. In stead the spreading device 2 has a kerf line 11 along which thespreading device can easily be broken by hand force. Outside the kerfline 11 there is a gripping part 2 b.

When the package is to be used the user first bends the spreading devicein the region of the kerf line 11 such that it is broken along thisline. Thereafter the user grips the gripping part 2 b together with theouter part of the gripping device 4 that is maintained attached to thegripping device 4. Then the gripping device 4 is pulled upwards andthereby releases the gripping device 4 from the rest of the spreadingdevice 2 and opens the dispensing opening 5. Thereafter the use is thesame as described above in relation to the first example.

A third example is disclosed in FIG. 9-11. The main difference of thepackage in this example is the relation between the first wall 106 andthe second wall 103. In this example the first wall 106 aligned with thespreading device 102 is made of thin flexible material and having troughshape in cross section. The first wall is made of more stiff materialand is substantially flat. The connection between the two walls 103, 104is not in one single plane. As can be seen in FIG. 10 the connection atthe left end and along the sides 107 occurs in the plane of the secondwall, whereas the provisional connection 109 at the other end occurs inthe plane of the first wall and the spreading device 102.

In this example the first wall 106 is a laminate including a plasticlayer and the second wall may be of stiffer plastic or paper board. Whensqueezing out the butter in this example the pressure is applied ontothe first wall 106.

In this example the gripping device 104 completely covers the spreadingdevice 102 without an extension and there is no kerf line on thespreading device 102. It is, however, to be understood that also in thisexample the arrangement according to the first or second example forfacilitating the removal of the gripping device 102 from the spreadingdevice may be applied.

1. An individual portion package containing butter, soft cheese or other similar foodstuff intended for spreading on a piece of bread or the like, which package includes a closed container and spreading device, which spreading device is integrated with the container and projecting out from the container, which container is formed by a first wall and a second wall connected to each other, which first wall has a first extension forming the spreading device, and which second wall has a gripping device at the end of the container adjacent the spreading device, which gripping device is arranged for opening the container at this end for providing a dispensing opening allowing the content of the container to be squeezed out onto a supply side of the spreading device, which supply side is on the same side of the first wall as the container, wherein the gripping device forms a second extension from the container in direction of the spreading device which second extension completely covers the supply side of the spreading device.
 2. Package according to claim 1, wherein the second extension is larger than the first extension such that the second extension projects beyond at least one edge of the spreading device, preferably a distance in the range of 2 to 10 mm.
 3. Package according to claim 2, wherein said at least one edge is an end edge of the spreading device.
 4. Package according to claim 1, wherein the spreading device has a kerf line and being sufficient weak to be broken along the kerf line by hand.
 5. Package according to claim 1, wherein the first wall and the second wall are connected to each other along a connection line, which connection line completely is located in one planar plane.
 6. Package according to claim 1, wherein the first wall completely is in one planar plane.
 7. Package according to claim 6, wherein the spreading device extends from the first wall in the direction of the plane of the first wall.
 8. Package according to claim 1, wherein the spreading device is planar.
 9. Package according to claim 8, wherein the first wall and the spreading device are co-planar.
 10. Package according to claim 1, wherein the first wall and the spreading device are made in one single piece and of the same material.
 11. Package according to claim 1, wherein the first wall includes a layer of paper board.
 12. Package according to claim 1, wherein the second wall is deformable by a squeezing force applied by a user's finger thereon.
 13. Package according to claim 1, wherein the second wall is of another material than the first wall.
 14. Package according to claim 1, wherein the second wall is a laminate.
 15. Package according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is an extension of the second wall.
 16. Package according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is arranged to allow disconnection of the connection between the first wall and the second wall in the region most close to the spreading device.
 17. Package according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is arranged to be maintained attached to the second wall after the container has been opened.
 18. Package according to claim 1, wherein the container has a width that is 2 to 10 times the height of the container, preferably 3 to 5 times, whereby the height is the maximum distance between the first wall and the second wall.
 19. Package according to claim 1, wherein the container has a length that is 2 to 10 times the width of the container, preferably 3 to 5 times.
 20. Package according to claim 1, wherein the container has a length that is 1 to 4 times the length of the spreading device, preferably 1.5 to 2.5 times.
 21. Package according to claim 1, wherein the end of the spreading device that is most remote from the container has an end edge that at least partly extends inclined in relation to the length direction of the package. 